In the current state of integrated circuit technology, an integrated circuit device will often be in the form of a die. Such a die will typically be mounted onto an underlying substrate such as an underlying carrier or package substrate to form a “package.” The package may then be mounted onto another substrate such as a printed circuit board (PC). Each of these substrates (i.e., die, carrier substrate, and PCB) is typically connected to another substrate using conductive pads and conductive interconnects. For example, a carrier substrate may be coupled to a PCB via conductive pads and conductive interconnects such as solder balls. Each of these substrates may further include a number of electronic components such as capacitors, transistors, resistors, and so forth that are coupled together by conductive lines.
The conductive lines, which for purposes of this description will be referred to as “intraconnects,” may be classified into at least two types, traces and vias. Traces are conductive lines that run horizontally in or on top of the substrates, while vias run vertically in the substrates. In some substrates, a via may be coupled to a conductive pad to form a structure called a via-in-pad (VIP). In these VIP structures, the via may be located directly underneath (or on top of depending on point of reference) the conductive pad.
In a continual effort to reduce the overall size of these electrical devices, the components of these substrates are being increasingly crammed closer and closer together, thus reducing the pitch (i.e., distance) between the components. Unfortunately, because of the specific types of processes used to form the various components disposed within and on top of these substrates, it is becoming more difficult to continue to reduce the pitch distance between components.